Anti-anchor-ice water-wheel attachment.



PATENTED JUNE 20, 1905.

- ,G. M. BROWN. I

ANTI-ANCHOR ICE WATER WHEEL ATTACHMENT.

APPLICATION FILED I'll-33.16, 1905.

9 I 11 wanton Patented June 20, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE M. BROWVN, OF OTTO, NEW YORK.

ANTl-ANCHOR-ICE WATER-WHEEL ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 792,811, dated June 20, 1905.

Application filed February 16. 1905. Serial No. 245,945.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Otto,

in the county of (lattaraugus and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Anti-Anchor-Ice Water- VVheel Attachments, of which the following is a specification.

In operating turbine water-wheels in cold weather difficulty is met with in accumulation of ice and slush which prevent free access of the water to the turbine. As a consequence the motor is either rendered wholly inoperative or its efficiency reduced to such an extent as to cause a shutting down of the machinery driven by means of the turbine-engine.

The purpose of the present invention is to clear the turbine of anchor-ice, slush, or kindred matter tending to collect about the turbine and impede the supply of water thereto.

The invention contemplates clearers arranged to travel around the casing of the turbine, so as to loosen ice, slush, and the like and prevent its choking the turbine and shutting off the supply of water thereto.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings.

While the invention may be adapted to different forms and conditions by changes in the structure and minor details without departing from the spirit or essential features thereof, still the preferred embodiment thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a waterwheel of the turbine type embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the attachment cooperating with the turbine waterwheel for clearing the same. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the clearer on a larger scale. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the clearer, showing its relation to the turbine water-wheel, the parts being on a larger scale.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The water-wheel A may be of any design or structural type and is of the turbine variety and illustrated simply to show the application of the invention, which, as stated, consists of the means for preventing accumulations of ice and slush.

B represents a counter-shaft arranged to receive power from the turbine water-wheel. The power for operating the clearer is derived from the shaft B by the means substan tially illustrated, the same consisting of a shaft C, friction-pulleys D and E, a horizontal shaft F, and vertical shafts G, the shafts O and F being suitably geared to the shafts F and G, connected by gearing in any determinate way. It is proposed to interpose at some convenient-point in the power-translating means a contrivance for throwing the same into and out of action to admit of throwing the clearer into or out of gear, as may be required. As shown, the pulleys D and E are of the friction type, and the shaft C is mounted in an eccentric bearing H, to which a lever or handle it is connected, so that the shaft C may be moved to throw the pulley D into or out of engagement with the pulley E. It is to be understood that any suitable means may be employed -for attaining the end accomplished by the eccentric bearing H.

The clearer comprises one or more blades 1 and a suitable traveling support or carrier which, as shown, is preferably of annular formation, so as to encircle the casing of the turbine water-wheel. The blade or blades 1 have an oblique arrangement and are propelled in a direction to move the ice, slush, or the like away from the periphery of the engine. It is to be understood that any number of blades may be employed. In the preferable structure the blades 1 are spaced apart an equal distance, so as to distribute the load and strain throughout the circumferential length of the traveling support or carrier. For ordinary purposes two blades are suflicient, and they are located at diametrically opposite points. The inner edges of the blades are sharpened to a chisel edge, as shown at 2, so as to readily scrape and cut the ice or other accumulation.

The outer edges 3 are uniformly beveled from opposite sides, so as to offer a minimum amount of resistance to the inflowing water in the operation of the engine.

The traveling support or carrier is of annular formation and comprises a toothed ring 4 and a reinforcingring 5, the latter being of angle formation in cross-section and supporting the toothed ring 4 upon its horizontal flange and having said toothed ring bolted or otherwise secured to its vertical flange. The rings 4 and 5 are composed of sections which arearranged to break joint, as shown at a a and b 6 in Fig. 2, the sectional construction admitting of fitting the support or carrier about a turbine that has already been installed, and, furthermore, providing for economy of manufacture and ease of handling. The toothed ring 4 is spaced from the vertical flange of the reinforcing-ring 5, so as to receive the shank or attaching portions 6 of blades 1. Spacing-pieces 7 are interposed between the ring 4 and the vertical flange of the ring 5 and are held in place by means of the bolts or fastenings 8, the heads of which are let into recesses 9, formed in the inner wall of the said vertical flange. The traveling support or carrier is mounted upon an oflstanding portion or shoulder 10 of the turbine-casing in any manner so as to operate freely and maintain a Working position under normal conditions. Gear-wheels 11, fast to the shafts G, mesh with the teeth of the ring 4 and impart motion thereto when the power-translating mechanism is in gear.

A turbine Water-Wheel equipped with .a clearer constructed in accordance With this invention will operate equally well in Warm or cold weather, since the supply of water thereto is not impeded by anchor-ice or slush, thesame being Warded off and loosened by the blades and prevented from packing, the broken or loosened portions being carried through the wheel without detracting in the least from the operation thereof.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the blades 1 extend across the space formed between the u pper and lower parts of the casing, so as to entirely clear said space from any obstructing matter, whereby the water may have full access to the wheel.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In combination with a turbine waterwheel, a clearer arranged to travel about the same to prevent an accumulation of obstructing matter, such as anchor-ice or slush.

2. In combination with a turbine water- Wheel, a blade arranged to operate exterior thereto, and means for moving said blade to 6 3. In combination with a turbine waterwheel, a traveling support or carrier, and a blade attached to and movable with said carrier and arranged to operate exterior to the wheel to prevent an accumulation of obstructing matter.

4. In combination with a turbine waterwheel, a traveling support or carrier, means for imparting rotary movement to said carrier, and one or more blades movable with the carrier and operating exterior to the turbine to prevent accumulation of obstructing matter.

5. In combination with a turbine waterwheel, a traveling support or carrier, and blades projected from said carrier and disposed approximately at an equal distance apart for equalizing the strain and load, said blades operating exterior to the engine to prevent accumulation of obstructingmatter.

6. In combination with a turbine waterwheel, a traveling support or carrier composed of complemental rings having spaced portions, and blades having shanks or attaching portions inserted in the space formed between the separate parts of said rings and secured to the latter.

7. A clearer for turbine water-wheels for preventing the accumulation of obstructing matter, the same comprising sectional rings arranged to break joint and having spaced portions, spacing-pieces interposed between the separate parts of the rings and secured thereto, and blades having shanks or attaching portions inserted between the spaced parts of the rings.

8. In combination with a turbine Water- Wheel, a traveling support orca-rrierprovided with clearing-blades operating exterior to the turbine, and actuating means for imparting movement to the clearer and arrangedto equalize the strain and load thereon.

9. In combination with a turbine waterwheel, a rotary clearer for preventing accumulation of obstructing matter, means for imparting movement to said clearer' at points equally distant, and means for-throwing .the clearer-operating mechanism .into and out of action, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof Iaflix my signature-in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE M. BROWN.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM S. Aus'r, FRANK J. TRUE-Y. 

